Dear Diary
by MDKJ
Summary: A 1950's UK love story
1. Chapter 1

Dear Diary,

I should probably introduce myself first…my name is Marylyn Baker I am about 5ft 6 tall with strawberry blonde hair, big sparkly blue eyes and a small but slightly curvy figure and I'm about to tell you a real love story. My love story.

It started all about fifty-three years ago back in 1959. I was quite an attractive 24 year old with porcelain facial features in what a lot of people called the most beautiful part in the whole of the United Kingdom –Scotland. I graduated at 22 and had been a teacher for a year or two by the time the most important meeting in my life happened.

I was invited to a society wedding as most girls of my status where at a time where getting married seemed like the thing to do once you have reached a certain age. I had not been looking for a husband to be quite honest because I loved my life. I was having fun; I had my rich family's money and a convertible car a million men would kill for and students look out the window when they hear it purr in the parking lot.

It seemed like another night out as I slipped into my satin blue dress with golden floral embroidery round the waist and pulled my fringe back with a pearly clip and gave a last brush to my mid length hair. "I'm going to dance so much tonight" I thought as I head to the groom's castle where the wedding was taking place. Sean McKay and I attended together and was one of my best friends I was so happy he found his mate.

Somehow these weddings made me reflect on what sort of man would I marry. As my parents keep nagging me and my brother gets engaged while the rest of the world produced babies I wondered what sort of chap will I give my life to and really I never thought I was about to meet him. I was chatting with my best friend July who was from Sussex, England but decided for a Scottish university - about how beautiful the big yard looked all lit up as the small orchestra played "Something" by the Beatles when her husband, Douglas showed up. Now Douglas was a really reserved, slightly older man who was so shy, it almost contorted his body. He had severed in the war and happened to go to Oxford after the war after greeting me (barely even making eye contact) and asked his wife to dance. They looked so romantic despite the evident age difference her youth and his maturity seemed to create this beautiful chemistry as the military charmer twirled the sweet brunette wife around July was taller then I and was a bit more curvy which emphasized her small waist even more as her brown eyes sparkled at her new husband who by the way made sure she had her perfect wedding.

Douglas had gone back to the family business in accounting as soon as he came back from the war and was already wealthy but July was smitten with him for months before he actually asked her out on a date but now they are so happy and will be even more once she gets pregnant – she is going to make such a good mother!

"They're perfect right?"

The silky male voice took me by surprise as I turned around, hand on my chest – and there he was, my new life had just started.

I hope you liked the introduction please review and tell me if you want the next part :)


	2. Chapter 2

So dear Diary, where had we left off?

Oh right, the meeting! The man I met was Kent Lloyd and I have to tell you he was quite something to behold. He was taller than average, possibly had a head and a half on me…well built, he obviously exercised frequently but his twinkling hazel eyes behind those rectangular black, thick framed glasses and his dark school boy styled hair gave him a classic English oxbriginarian charm. I was hip deep in trouble.

"Yes they are." I smiled, knowing whether he was talking about the July and Douglas or the "just married" couple we were here to celebrate.

"What you like to dance?" he asked taking my hand as if it was the most natural thing in the world, it was warm and a tad bigger than mine – and warm – opposite to my smaller, freezing one. Before I know it we were dancing.

The castle was decorated beautifully and from the pavilion which was transformed into a dance floor, one could admire the greenery and trees adorned with lights and white ribbons and the floating wooden boats with glowing lamps as they floated on the lake.

"So you're the famous Marylyn… " he said with a cheshire grin, reclaiming my attention from the spectacular view. I had to collect myself in order to not make a fool of myself.

"That's right – everyone calls me Mary though, Marylyn is my mother's name too. How did you know about me?" Wondering how come he already knew my name.

"Douglas and I are close, had you been an acquaintance of his, I would have known you but last time they invited me to dinner and July said she couldn't wait to introduce me to her best friend Marylyn - then she showed me a picture of you two at university." He said with a wink - gosh, he was sexy when he did that!

"I see," I replied feeling a bit disadvantaged, this guy clearly knew a lot about me but July never told me about this man "What about you? How did you come to know Douglas?" I couldn't stop looking in his eyes or wanting to kiss him for that matter. 'Darn' I thought as I bit mine 'this never happened before'

"Well, Douglas was my commanding officer in the army – he was sort of my mentor when I left the army . It was not for me, my family was disappointed and they were not exactly friendly to me for a while. But Douglas, who had retired a couple of year before had kept in touch and took me under his wing in the firm. He's a bit like my favourite uncle – but don't let him hear I said it!" he chuckled. That's it I was hooked!

We twirled past Douglas and July who looked pretty much in their own world and although I had to ask July twenty questions about her recently discovered matchmaking, I was glad to see her so happy. It was quite something to behold as she laughed at something he husband had just said to her…she had cried so many tears, her laugh reminded me that somehow justice did exist in this world.

"I got a lift from them because my car went bonkers…I don't think I'm going back with them though." Kent broke my reverie. I did not blame him they seemed to be having quite a moment and he probably did not want to impose.

"Where do you live? I can drive you back home." I said before even thinking. Uh oh, what had I gotten myself into?

Okay folks, that was it for this week. Should I post Ken's POV next time or should I keep the diary?


	3. Douglas and July - chapter 3

Kenneth's Pov

I loosened my tie and unbuttoned my waistcoat and I entered the house. Usually, I would be dreading next morning's hangover and sleeping it off at my new house in London. However, this evening has been rather unusual I ended up in Scotland for a wedding of a person I barely knew, rather annoyed that I was being set up by my best friend's new wife. Don't get me wrong, I love July like a sibling but nobody likes it when someone plays matchmaker with them – she did say she wanted me to meet her special and beautiful best friend. Beautiful is putting it mildly.

I switch on the lamp near the bed and start taking my clothes off as I grab my sleeping trousers – god I hated the shirts! I always gave them to Douglas to use them in the garage when we are working on one of his vintage cars. Wait, where was I?

Right, beautiful. Mary, as everyone calls her is the most exceptional girl…her sense of humor, petite but feminine figure, the strawberry blonde hair and those brilliant blue eyes – damn it all. How could this happen? I am only twenty nine years old and although coming from a middleclass family, I am making a small fortune since Douglas took me under his wing after the Army and let me work in his company. But this fairy princess came from a Scottish palace with enough money to bury me alive and with every man looking at her like the beauty she is, how could I possibly hope for a future with her?

And yet one finds that he cannot stop thinking about the future and remembering how well she fit into one's arms and how soft and small her hand was when I kissed it after she gave me a lift. She smiles and somehow the world lights up. When mother nags me about settling down and having a family – commitment – I usually say I'm fine right where I am The question remained – how will I see her again?

Resting my spectacles on the side table, I decided that the best thing to do is to ask July about her tomorrow.

July is the big sister I never had. She was the one who took me by the hand when I started to work and she is always keeping an eye out for all those who surround her, something rather impressive given her past. Her own father was abusive, not physically - but in virtually every other way. He made her life hell on earth and I know this because firstly, Douglas told me he would kill him if it was legal, secondly because she could not stand him at her wedding and her uncle gave her away and thirdly because I guess it was this suffering which made her run from her hometown and look for a job in the big city.

She is small but full of common sense – which alas, is not so common and the place could not run without her. Her understanding blue eyes make you tell her anything and after what Douglas had been through, and the stress at work he needed a kind and strong girl – stubborn though she may be.

His father hired her as a secretary right before he retired. Douglas did not really want the job and his father's death a few months after his wife's did not help matters. The situation was as complicated as it would get. Olga and Douglas were not really in love but it was a convenient marriage for the families businesswise, they lived separated lives until her death but nevertheless they were good friends and Douglas has been carrying around the sadness and guilt ever since.

As time went by though, July made the man smile again and they were spending a lot of time together. She would either cook for him or go down to his favourite restaurant and get his steak and doing these small things that even in the most stressful of times managed to get a chuckle from him.

He was affectionate in his own manner…treating her to all the newest operas and musicals, dinners and inviting her to the best parties that come with the job. However, as a typical Englishman he had too much of what one calls stiff upper lip to come outright and say 'I love you' and really, I don't blame the chap. How do you say it to someone and risk getting burned?

Happy holidays!


End file.
